Quincunx (Roman coin)

A quincunx of Larinum

Bearded head of Mars, wearing Corinthian helmet	[L]ADINOD, warrior on horseback galloping left; five pellets in exergue.
Circa 210-175 BC. Æ 22mm - 7.95 g.

The quincunx was an Ancient Roman bronze coin produced during the Roman Republic. The word quincunx comes from Latin quinque which means "five" and uncia which means "one twelfth", because the coin was valued at five-twelfths of an as (also called a libra). This value was sometimes symbolized by a pattern of five dots arranged like the points of a die, so this pattern also came to be called quincunx. It was only produced during the Second Punic War (218 to 204 BC). It was not part of the standard Roman monetary system and was produced by mints at Luceria (mod. Lucera), Teate (mod. Chieti), Larinum (mod. Larino), and northern Apulia.

A coin with the same value was minted in Capua, during the Second Punic War, after the defeat of Cannae.

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Currencies of Ancient Rome

Proto-currency	Bronze Aes rude Aes signatum

Republican era	Gold Aureus Silver Denarius Sestertius Victoriatus Quadrigatus Bronze and copper Dupondius (2 asses) As (1) Dodrans (3/4) Bes (2/3) Semis (1/2) Triens (1/3) Quadrans (1/4) Quincunx (5/12) Sextans (1/6) Uncia (1/12) Semuncia (1/24)

Early Empire	Gold Aureus Dacicus Silver Antoninianus (32 asses) Denarius (10; 16) Quinarius (5; 8) Copper Double sestertius (8) Sestertius (2½; 4) Dupondius (2) As (1) Semis (1/2) Quadrans (1/4)

Diocletian era	Gold Solidus Silver Argenteus Nummus Copper Radiate Laureate Denarius

Late Empire	Gold Solidus Tremissis Silver Miliarense Siliqua Copper and bronze Follis Nummus Constantinian bronzes Centenionalis

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